Alfred Huth (composer)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alfred Huth (1892–1971)

Alfred August Adolph Huth (born August 31, 1892 in Herborn ; † September 6, 1971 in Glückstadt ) was a German composer , organist and choir director .

life and work

Alfred August Huth was born as the second of three sons of the Berleburg seminary music teacher, pianist , organist and composer Christian Heinrich Julius Huth and his wife Anna Henriette. Rupp was born in Herborn (Hessen). In 1895 the family moved to Hadersleben (today Haderslev , Denmark ), where Alfred Huth spent his childhood and youth. After schooling in Hadersleben, Heide and Flensburg , he took part in the First World War as a soldier and then studied organ playing with Carl Breidenstein as well as theory of forms and counterpoint with Bernhard Sekles to Dr. Hoch's Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main . Among the acquaintances from his time in Frankfurt are Paul Hindemith and Ottmar Gerster , with whom he attended the Donaueschingen chamber music performances to promote contemporary music and came into contact with current compositional trends. After completing his studies, Alfred Huth returned to his homeland, which in the meantime had become Danish through a referendum in 1920. In 1923 he became an organist in Løgumkloster , worked as a private piano teacher and took over the management of several choir associations, such as that of the men's choir in Tønder in 1927 . In 1928 he founded the Nordschleswigsche Musikvereinigung, in which music and choir associations from the region merged and which in 1935 became the Bund für Deutsche Kultur (not to be confused with the Kampfbund für deutsche Kultur ).

In the 1920s to 1940s, Alfred Huth assigned a total of 73 opus numbers, several of them twice (see opp. 31, 33, 62 and 70). Some important orchestral works testify to the high ambitions of the composer: The BACH chamber concerto for piano and strings op.16 (1924) and the music for small orchestra op.18 from 1925 entitled Heaven and Hell on Landstrasse form the starting point a development that culminated in the three large-scale symphonies from 1928, 1929 and 1932. The highlight in this context is the successful performance of the First Symphony op. 28 in Berlin in 1930 by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra under Helmuth Thierfelder . However, like many other choral and orchestral works by the composer from that time, it was premiered the Flensburg Orchestra under the direction of the resident music director Kurt Barth. In parallel with this development, the composer wrote a large number of sacred works. His work as a church musician results in chorale preludes and solo works for organ as well as oratorios and many cantatas for solos, choir and orchestra (or organ), including the frequently performed liturgical services Der Adventskreis op.31a (1928) and Die Heilandsklage op.31b (1929 ), both based on texts by the Catholic theologian Romano Guardini .

Since December 1, 1932, Alfred Huth was a member of the NSDAP (membership number 1,328,237). During the Second World War - after the occupation of Denmark by the Wehrmacht on April 9, 1940 - he held tasks in the troop support of German soldiers with cultural offers such as concerts and lectures. In 1942 he received the Schleswig-Holstein Gau Culture Prize .

In May 1945 Alfred Huth was taken into custody in the wake of the arrest of German nationals in Denmark, after which he had to leave the country without charge in the course of the deportation of German and Japanese nationals. The pastor of the German congregation in Haderslev had also been expelled from Denmark. He had found a new position at the town church in Glückstadt and was committed to ensuring that Alfred Huth could follow him there in 1947.

Glückstadt became a new home for him. He expanded the choir to include a children's and youth choir and performed with it until his retirement, occasionally in collaboration with the mixed choir "Concordia" from Elmshorn, also larger works of church music. He also directed a number of secular choirs.

No pure orchestral works were created in Glückstadt. Rather, in accordance with the general as well as personal-biographical new beginning after the Second World War, a significant concentration of compositional means and techniques can be seen in many works of these years: His instrumental work tends more towards chamber music or solo instrumentation with smaller, often contrapuntal forms. External signs of this change are the lack of opus numbers and the establishment of a new series of works that had already begun in the earlier creative phase (cf. e.g. Three Sonatinas for Piano op. 21 (1930) with Sonatina No. 1 for piano (1951)). The orchestral composition in larger vocal genres such as oratorio and opera is also clearer and more transparent. As important works of the Glückstadt period, the cantata When the Soul Takes Farewell for solos, choir and orchestra based on words from the Old Russian liturgy (1955), the oratorio Die Schöpf (1965) and the extremely popular fiddle songs for gem. Choir and piano four hands (1965) apply.

Alfred Huth died on September 6, 1971 at the age of 79 in Glückstadt.

Works

Music for flute and piano (1951), p. 1
Music for flute and piano (1951), p. 2
Music for flute and piano (1951), p. 3
Music for flute and piano (1951), p. 4
Music for flute and piano (1951), p. 5
Music for flute and piano (1951), p. 6

With opus number

  • op. 1: My Green Songbook (Bierbaum, Löns, Greif, Bartels, Storm, Asam) (1921)
  • op. 2: Four vagabond songs (Hermann Hesse) (1921)
  • op.3: Nerballe Suite for piano, op.3 (1921)
  • op. 4: The dancer of our lady. Legend play in 2 acts for solos, choir and orchestra (1921)
  • op. 5: Four songs after Sappho and Lenau (1921/22)
  • op. 6: Four songs from Klabundt "Leierkastenmann" (1921)
  • op.7: Sonata in A major for piano (1924)
  • op.8: Five piano pieces in memory of the Frankfurt Music Week (1923)
  • op. 9: Choral fantasy on Hebbel's "An die Jünglinge" for choir, piano and orchestra (1923)
  • op.10: Bagatelles for piano (1923)
  • op.11: Four Eichendorff songs and love psalms based on words by P. Baum (1923)
  • op. 12: Organ variations and fugue about Nebelongs "Den stove hvide Flok vi se" (1923)
  • op.13: Music for flute and piano (1924)
  • op. 14: The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Opera in 3 acts (Libretto: Ella Huth, née Pohlmann) (1922–1924)
  • op.15: Three children's songs (Weber) (1924)
  • op.16: Chamber concert BACH for piano and strings (1924)
  • op.17: Variations for 2 pianos on a Romanian folk dance by Bela Bartok (1925)
  • op. 18: Heaven and Hell on the Landstrasse. Music for small orchestra (1925)
  • op.19: Stabat mater for mixed choir, small orchestra and organ (1926)
  • op.20: Mass for a cappella choir (1926)
  • op.21: Three Sonatinas for Piano (1930)
  • op. 22: Suite for large orchestra (1926)
  • op. 23: New liturgical chants (Guardini) (1925)
  • op. 24: A new spring of songs. 8 songs based on different poets (Göst, Storm, Jungnikel, Eichendorff, Lissauer)
  • op. 25: The Hangman. Music for a Puppet Theater (1927)
  • op. 26: Episodes. A piano cycle (1927)
  • op.27: Three marches for orchestra (1928)
  • op. 28: Symphony No. 1 (1928)
  • op. 30: Love in China. A song cycle (1928)
  • op.31a: The Advent Circle for Solo, Choir and Organ (1928)
  • op.31b: The Lamentation of Savior for Solo, Choir and Organ (1929)
  • op. 32: The drum of Ziska (B. v. Münchhausen). Ballad for male choir and orchestra (1929)
  • op.33a: Whitsun Cantata for solo, choir and organ (1929)
  • op.33b: Cantata based on words from Psalm 44 for mixed choir and orchestra (1930)
  • op.34: Toccata for organ (1930)
  • op. 35: Three songs based on words by B. v. Munchausen (1929)
  • op. 36: Symphony No. 2 (1929)
  • op. 37: Cantata “See, we're going up to Jerusalem” for tenor solo, according to Choir, organ and harpsichord (1930)
  • op. 38: Cantata "How beautifully the morning star shines" for tenor solo, mixed. Choir, boys' choir, orchestra and organ (1930)
  • op.39: 7 songs for voice and piano (Carl Ulmann) (1930)
  • op. 40: The redeemed. Oratorio in 3 parts (finished in 1933)
  • op. 41: Der Pfingstkreis (Guardini) for solo, choir and orchestra (1931)
  • op. 42: Nine songs (Storm, Schmidt, Gorsblock) (1931)
  • op.43: 2 chamber concerts for organ (1931)
  • op.44: Symphony No. 3 (1932)
  • op.45: The Dance of Death (Goethe) (1932)
  • op.46: Folk songs and dances from North Schleswig (1931)
  • op.47: Zwei Landsknechtsschwänke for male choir and orchestra (1932)
  • op.48: Little Music for Flute, Viola and Piano (1931)
  • op. 49: Cantata Psalm 146 for solo, acc. Choir and Organ (1931)
  • op.50: Choral preludes to the new hymnal (1932)
  • op.51: Dance Changes for the School of Movement Art for Piano (1932)
  • op. 52: “Out of deep need”. Choral variations for a cappella choir (1933)
  • op.53: A folk song for female choir and piano (1933)
  • op.54: An old dance of death for choir and instruments (1934)
  • op. 55: Pole Poppenspeler. Music for chamber orchestra (1934)
  • op. 56: Music for the radio play "Flensburg, the corner window of the German Empire" (1934)
  • op.57: A folk song for female choir, flute, violin and piano (1934)
  • op. 58: Low German songs based on various poets (1934)
  • op. 59: "The drum". Songs for 1stmg. Choir and Instruments (1934)
  • op. 60: Widukind. Music for solos, choir and orchestra (1934/1937)
  • op.61: The Struwwelpeter for voice and piano (1934)
  • op.62a: A folk song based on Danish ballads for female choir and instruments (1934)
  • op.62b: A folk song based on Norwegian and Swedish songs for female choir and instruments (1935)
  • op.63: Songs based on various poets (Klaus Geusen, Th. v. Trotha, Ruth Storm) (1936)
  • op. 64: Little Advent music about "The moon has risen" for choir, violin and organ (1936)
  • op. 65: A ship comes loaded for gem. Choir (1936)
  • op.66: Festive March for Orchestra (1936)
  • op. 67: Organ music "Gestalten des Naumburger Doms" (1937)
  • op. 68: Music “De Lewwensweg”. A Low German Dance of Death by Heinrich Eckmann [incidental music] (1938)
  • op. 69: Workers' Song (Lersch). Music for 4 individual voices, according to Choir, Orchestra and Organ (1938)
  • op.70a: Eichendorff songs for soprano and strings (1938)
  • op. 70b: "Immensee". Music for baritone solo, strings and wind instruments (1938)
  • op. 71: The letters of the fallen. Celebration music for solo, choir and orchestra (1942)
  • op. 72: The course of the year. Music for gem. Choir and Instruments (1941)
  • op. 73: Driven hunt in Kraienhagen. A funny cantata for 2 solo voices, choir and instruments (Klaus Witt) (1944)

Without opus number (chronological)

1931:

  • "Break at you beautiful morning light". Small cantata for solo, choir, 2 violins and organ

1943:

  • 9 songs of praise for medium voice and piano
  • "The mood of the lover" (Goethe). Schäferspiel for 4 individual voices and chamber orchestra
  • Eleven songs from “Die Hafenorgel” (Hans Leip) for baritone and piano

1944:

  • 3 Busch songs for alto and piano (1944)
  • "The Sower" (Claudius). Music for memorial service for 2 stmg. Choir and organ

1948:

  • 6 Friedrich Ernst Peters songs for medium voice and piano
  • Choral cantata " I call to you, Lord Jesus Christ " for single part, according to Choir and organ
  • "O man, pay attention" for solo, choir and instruments (Weinträger)
  • Canticle of the Sun by Francesco d'Assisi for baritone, violin and organ
  • Twelve songs from Josef Weinheber's calendar book for alto and piano

1949:

  • Perpetual love calendar (binding) for medium voice and piano
  • Nine songs (Ernst Göbel, Graßhoff)

1950:

  • Bunch of flowers. 14 songs based on texts by Weinträger for baritone and piano [5 of these songs also arranged for clarinet, violoncello and piano]

1951:

  • 3 love songs for high voice and piano
  • Since Christ was born for single voice and keyboard instrument
  • Music for flute and piano
  • Music [No. 1] for violin and piano
  • O Lux beata trinitas for organ and mixed Choir
  • Partita on "Jesus my joy"
  • Partita on "How beautifully the morning star shines"
  • Sonatina No. 1 for violin and piano
  • Sonatina No. 2 for violin and piano
  • Sonatina No. 1 for piano

1952:

  • Der Struwwelpeter for children's choir and instruments
  • Wedding music for individual voice and organ "Come here to look diligently"
  • Music [No. 2] for violin and piano
  • Sonatina No. 2 for piano
  • Dancing suite for piano
  • Christmas story according to Lukas for 2 choirs

1953:

  • 9 songs based on texts from the baroque period
  • The Glückstädter Organ Book: Preludes, organ chorals, etc. s. w. through the church year
  • The princess and the Pea. A dance game for chamber orchestra
  • Gospel sayings from Advent to Epiphany
  • Veni Creator Spiritus. Music for organ

1954:

  • Folksong game for children's choir and instruments

1955:

  • Christmas music about Luke 2 for soprano and organ
  • "When the soul says goodbye". Cantata for solos, choir and orchestra based on words from the old Russian liturgy

1958:

  • The twins (Plautus). Opera in 5 acts

1960:

  • My Dark Hands for baritone and piano (Fenton Johnson, Arna Bontempos, Jean Toomer)

1961:

  • We ignite the light (August Vogl) for medium voice and piano

1963:

  • "The changed bridegroom" (Holberg) in German and Danish. Singspiel for 5 female voices and chamber orchestra

1965:

  • The creation. Oratorio for solo, acc. Choir and Orchestra (James Weldon Johnson)
  • "Fiddle songs" for gem. Choir and piano for four hands

1966:

  • "De Lebensweg". En nedderdütsch Dodendanz by Heinrich Eckmann. New version of incidental music

1969:

  • Six songs from Hungarian (Béla Bartók), arranged for female choir and instruments

1970:

  • “The Thirteen Months” (Erich Kästner) for speaker, mixed choir and piano
  • New chorale preludes for organ
  • Psalm motets for mixed choir a cappella

Awards and honors

  • Music Prize of the Province of Schleswig-Holstein (1943)
  • Print edition of the liturgical service The Advent Circle by the ev.-luth. State Church of Schleswig-Holstein on the occasion of the composer's 70th birthday (1962)
  • Honorary gift from the State of Schleswig-Holstein (1967)
  • Honor plate of the Steinburg district (1967)
  • Honor plate of the city of Glückstadt (1967)
  • Honor plate of the municipality of Münsterdorf (1967)
  • In Glückstadt, the Alfred-Huth-Weg was named after the composer.

literature

  • Art. Huth, Alfred August , in: Kürschner's German Musicians Calendar 1954. Walter de Gruyter & Co, Berlin 1954, Sp. 534-538.
  • Alfred Huth: From my musician's box. Content supplemented by reviews, reports, narratives and own reflections by Ella Huth . Verlag Gerhard Rautenberg, Leer 1972.
  • Henning Haugaard: Huth's “Nerballe-suite for klaver” from 1921 , in: Brudstykker af Bedsted Songs Historie, No. 13 (September 1988), pp. 405–406.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ see Hessisches Staatsarchiv Marburg (HStAMR), Best. 911 No. 4007, p. 110 ( digitized version ).
  2. ↑ a b Fred K. Prieberg : Handbook of German Musicians 1933–1945 , CD-Rom-Lexikon, Kiel 2004, p. 3258.
  3. ^ The curriculum vitae and catalog raisonné are based on the composer's autobiography [Huth: From my musicians' box , Leer 1972].
personal data
SURNAME Huth, Alfred
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Huth, Alfred August Adolph
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German composer
DATE OF BIRTH August 31, 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH Herborn
DATE OF DEATH September 6, 1971
Place of death Glückstadt